Bengaluru: The distribution of drought relief funds in the districts of Central Karnataka remains incomplete, leaving thousands of farmers without the financial assistance they desperately need. Various technical issues have prevented the compensation from reaching the bank accounts of many farmers, leading to widespread frustration and anger among the affected agricultural community.
Despite chief minister Siddaramaiah’s warnings to officials to expedite the process, the problem persists. For an example in Davangere district, crops were sown across 1.64 lakh hectares during the monsoon season. Of this, 1.22 lakh hectares were used to cultivate maize, which exceeded the district’s target by 2,000 hectares. However, the lack of rain after sowing led to the destruction of crops and a severe shortage of fodder for cattle. The farmers’ investments, based on their belief in the land’s productivity, turned to dust, leaving them in dire financial straits.
Similarly, in neighboring Chitradurga district, farmers had targeted sowing across 3.21 lakh hectares during the monsoon. They planted various crops including coconut and maize, only to face similar issues due to insufficient rainfall.
At a time when monsoon sowing is underway, the delay in receiving compensation for crop loss has severely impacted the farmers’ ability to afford seeds and fertilizers. Many farmers have voiced their outrage over the absence of compensation in their bank accounts, with officials often providing vague or insufficient explanations for the delays.
Deputy commissioner Dr. M.V. Venkatesh explained that compensation is supposed to be transferred to bank accounts linked with Aadhaar cards. However, complications arise when loans are settled, prompting banks to reassign the account details. He assured that a report would be submitted to the government against such banks.
Farmers who were unable to sow crops due to untimely rains have also been left without compensation. Additionally, many banks have been allocating drought relief funds to settle outstanding loans, compounding the farmers’ financial woes. In some cases, even funds from government schemes such as the Grilahakshmi guarantee scheme and job guarantee money were deposited into loan accounts. This led to incidents like the one in Davangere, where farmers’ organizations protested and successfully pressured the bank to return the misallocated funds.
In Davangere district alone, 17,597 farmers have yet to receive any relief from the 60.23 crore rupees allocated for drought assistance. Similarly, in Chitradurga district, 114.68 crore rupees were released, but more than 6,000 farmers have not received their drought relief. This lack of compensation has left even those who could not sow crops due to untimely rains without any support. Furthermore, these farmers are also ineligible for insurance compensation, as insurance companies do not consider claims for unsown crops.
Many farmers’ bank accounts are not properly linked to their Aadhaar numbers, causing delays in fund transfers.
The Prouts software used for processing compensation payments is not fully compatible with Aadhaar systems.
Errors in the IFSC codes (Indian Financial System Code) used by banks can prevent the successful transfer of funds.
The ongoing crisis has put immense pressure on the state government to resolve these issues swiftly. The farmers, already burdened by the loss of their crops and financial instability, continue to await the relief they were promised. As the monsoon season progresses, the timely distribution of these funds remains critical to ensuring that farmers can continue their agricultural activities and sustain their livelihoods.
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